5 things to know about pipe bombing suspect Brian Cole Jr.

5. Cole’s family maintains his innocence 

In an interview with The New York Post, Cole’s grandmother, Loretta, expressed doubt that her grandson was responsible for making the pipe bombs that caused a scare in the nation's capital in early 2021. “I don’t believe this at all,” she said. “He’s not a terrorist.” 

Cole’s grandmother characterized her grandson as “almost autistic-like because he doesn’t understand a lot of stuff,” adding, “I hope he’s not talking.”

She elaborated on his family life, noting that the suspect’s mother is a “loving” real estate agent and that he has a brother and a sister. 

“He’s very naive. He would not hurt a fly. He’s just not that kind of person,” she insisted. 

Stressing that her grandson is a “gentle person” who doesn't leave the house much except to buy groceries, Cole’s grandmother told The New York Post, “I don’t even know how they included him in this.” She recalled that “he was doing DoorDash for a while” and remained adamant that “he doesn’t have any ties to D.C.”